


I visited this castle in 2001.
Calataņazor Castle lies in the very small, walled village with the same name in
the province of Soria in Spain.
The following historical info is taken from a little Spanish booklet, titled
Castillos de Soria.
My Spanish translation skills aren't great so forgive any mistakes that may occur.
Calataņazor Castle has a famous reputation in the history of Spain because it's the place
where a legendary Moorish leader called Almanzor, called "The Victor" by the Moors, died
in 1002. Almanzor was on his way back from his summer raids in the lands of the Medinaceli
and very ill when he died here. The Christians at the time used his death to invent
a myth in which he was killed in a victorious battle by the Christians to raise
Christian moral.
The name Calataņazor is derived from the Moorish name of the castle; Calat-al-Nusur.
The castle is part of the walled village of Calataņazor but separated from it by
a dry moat that was cut out of the rock. On the castle's irregular enclosure there
are ruins of several towers and the keep, which is situated next to the entrance
over the moat.
There are nice views of the surrounding countryside from the castle and the very
small village is also worth a walk. The castle is freely accessible. The village very
much has a medieval feel about it, has a few remaining fragments of its medieval walls
and is inhabited by just over 10 people.
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